Clothes-line support



No. 622,788. Pat ented Apr. n, I899. T. VARGOE.

CLOTHES LINE SUPPORT.

(Application filed m 1a, 1595.)

IN VENTOH W/ TNE SSE S r A TTORNE'YS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS VARCOE, OF LEAD CITY, SOUTH DAKOTA.

CLOTH ES-LINE SUPPORT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 622,788, dated April 1 1, 1899.

Application filed May 16, 1898. Serial No. 680,809. (No model.)

To CI/ZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS. VARCOE, of Lead City, in the county of Lawrence and State of South Dakota, have invented a new and 1111 proved Clothes-Line Support, of which the followingisafull, clear, and exact description.

The object of my invention is to provide a device especially adapted for supporting a clothes-line and which will so sustain the line that no matter to what extent the line may be burdened with clothes the clothes .will not be brought in contact with the ground.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character above set forth which will be simple, durable, and economic and which-may be expeditiously and conveniently applied by any person of ordinary intelligence.

I will describe a clothes-line support embodying my invention and then point out the novel features in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forminga part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device in position for use. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the upper portion of the device, the view being drawn on an enlarged scale and the jaws of the device being-represented open. Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the main portion of the device, the jaws being closed; and Fig. 1 is a rear elevation of the device, the clothes-line being shown in position in the head thereof.

The device may be said to consist, primarily, of three partsviz., a head A, a polelike support B, and a brace O for both the head and the body of the support. The head A consists of a pillar or a body portionlO, to which a socket 11 is secured at its lower end,

the socket being at an angle to the body, as

projection 12 of the socket an eye 13 is formed, while in the socket itself a number of openings 14 are produced, through which screws or other fastening devices may be passed.

The body 10 of the head of the device is carried upward to form a jaw 15, and the said jaw is preferably provided with a transverse central recess 16. (Best shown in Fig. 2.) The body 10 is further provided with a slot 17,

which extends through it from the front to the rear, as is shown in Fig. 3. A springlatch 18 is secured to the jaw 15. This latch extends across the top of the jaw and horizontally beyond its forward face, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the top of the jaw being provided with a recess 20, receiving the horizontal portion of the latch, the rear end of the A The forward end of the latch 18, or that portion which extends beyond the front of the jaw 15 of the head, is bent upon itself to form a locking-head 22. This locking-head of the latch is adapted to engage with the forward face of a second jaw 23, which second jaw is provided with a shank 24, having an elongated and somewhat curved slot 25 produced therein, the said shank being made to pass through the opening 17 below the fixed jaw 15, and the jaw 23 ispivotally attached to the fixed jaw 15 by means of a pivot-pin 26, passed through the slot 25 and through the shank 24 of the movable jaw and the body 10 of the head of the device.

The movable jaw 23 is provided upon its inner face with a transverse recess 27, as shown best in Fig. 2, and the opposing faces of the two jaws 15 and 23, above and below the corresponding recesses 16 and 27, are adapted to come together when the two jaws are closed, the recesses forming an opening through which the clothes-line 28 is adapted to pass.

' The support B for the head consists, preferably, of a pole which at its upper end is in troduced into the socket 11, and the brace O is connected with the upper end of the support B, preferably through the medium of a strap-hinge 29, and when the device is in operative position the brace C is at an angle to the support B and the upper end of the brace will be in engagement with the lower end of the projection 12 of the socket or sleeve 11. In order that the brace may be held in position for use, a locking device is required, and this locking device preferably consists of 'a hook 30, which is connected with the eye 13 on the extension '12'of the socket 11, and the said hook is adapted to enter an eye 31, which is attached to the saidbrace G.

A recess 29 is made in the forward face of the movable jaw 23 at the top portionof the said jaw, and the recess 29 is in communication with a recess 28, which is-formed at the upper portion of the said movable jaw, the body portion of the latch 18 being made to pass through the recess 28, while the lockinghead of the latch 18 when the jaws are closed enters the recess 29 and maintains the said jaws in their closed position.

In operation when the clothes-line is to be admitted to the jaws the movable jaw is permitted to drop to the position shown in Fig. 2, the clothes-line being brought into the recess 16 of the fixed jaw 15. The movable jaw is then closed and locked through the medium of the latch 18, whereupon, as before stated, the clothes-line will be held in the opening formed by the opposing recesses 16 and 27 of the jaws. Ihe elongated slot 25 in the shank of the movable jaw admits of the said jaw being opened to a great extentin fact, to assume a position at right angles to the fixed jaw. At the lower end of the support B and the brace O a socket 32 is located, and each socket is provided with a pin or a spur 33, adapted to enter the ground and maintain the device firmly in the position in which it may be placed.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire'to secure by Letters Patent 1. In a device for supporting clothes-lines, the combination with a head consisting of a body portion provided with a fixed jaw, a movable jaw pivoted in the body portion, the movable jaw being provided with a shank having an elongated, opening through which the pivot-pin passes, the two jaws being provided with opposing recesses, and a latch device carried by one of the jaws and adapted for engagement with the other jaw, of a support securely attached to the said head, a brace pivotally attached to the said support,

an extension from the said head adapted for engagement with the upper end of the said brace, and a locking device between the head and brace, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a device for supporting clothes-lines, the combination with a head consisting of a body, said body being provided with a jaw and an opening below the jaw, a movable ment with the movable jaw, of a support secured to the said body, a brace having a hinge connection with the said support, an extension from the head adapted for engagement with the upper'end of the brace, and a looking device between the head and the brace, all combined for operation in the manner specified.

3. A clothes-line support having a head which comprises a socket and a pillar or body portion standing thereon, the pillar or body portion being provided with a slot, a fixed jaw formed at the upper portion of the pillar or body portion, a swinging jaw having a shank extending through the slot of the pillar or body portion, the shank being slotted, a pin carried by the pillar or body portion and extending through the slot of the shank, and a latch carried by the fixed jaw and capable of holding the swinging jaw engaged with the fixed jaw.

4. A clothes-line support having a head which comprises a pillar or body portion, a fixed jaw carried thereby, a movable jaw having a slotted shank, a pin carried on the pil lar or body portion and entering the slot of the shank, and a latch for holding the movable jaw in closed position.

5. In a clothes-line support, the combination of a head comprising devices for engaging the clothes-line and also comprising a socket and a projection at one side of the socket and'disposed at an angle thereto, a pole fitted in the socket and forming a support, a brace hinged to the pole and coacting therewith, and a fastening device acting between the brace and the projection to hold the brace with its upper end against the projection and in operative position.

THOMAS VAROOE- Witnesses:

RICHARD ERLIOK, ROBERT JAMES. 

